


Be My Valentine

by Cairngirl



Category: Sanditon (TV 2019)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29228658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cairngirl/pseuds/Cairngirl
Summary: As per our Sanditon Survival BookClub challenge to write something short and sweet for Valentines.  This is my story.I've set this as in university with Charlotte and Sidney are both students.  I thought it was nice to make them youngsters with no shadows behind them.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	Be My Valentine

Charlotte walked into her dormitory and unlocked her door to her room. Her eyes noticed an envelope on the carpet. Was it what she thought it was she said to herself? She picked it up and recognised the same handwriting. She opened it up and there was just one line from the famous poem She walks in Beauty by Lord Byron and the same request at the end.  
She walks in beauty like the night....  
Be My Valentine.  
She shook her head; she had no idea who it was. All the notes were romantic lines from poetry or quotes from fiction. She’d had other notes, one using Shakespeare Shall I compare thee to a summer’s Day, and one quoting Robert Burns, Oh My luve is like a Red, Red Rose......and each one at the end said be my valentine.  
She smiled and pinned it on her board. Someone was winding her up it seemed, but it was nice to read them. 

A few weeks earlier 

She grabbed her laptop and went to the library to meet her study friend, Lucy. They were on the same university course together. Charlotte was doing her Bachelor of Arts Honours studying History and English Literature at Keele University. She and Lucy were both on the English Literature course together.  
“Hopefully those guys won’t be there today,” Lucy murmured as she met her outside.  
“Let’s hope not,” Charlotte replied.  
***  
Lucy had been referring to an incident recently when a few young men had decided to try and get her attention and had grabbed her laptop and passed it around their group, thinking themselves highly clever in getting her attention.  
“Please give it me back,” Charlotte asked.  
“My friend fancies you.....,” one young man with light brown hair said, who lived in her dormitory building.  
Charlotte frowned, she never liked this attention. “Does he now?.....There are better ways of telling someone. Please give me my laptop back please I’ve got work to do.”  
“He wants a date......”  
“I believe you can get them at Tesco’s in the bakery aisle,” Charlotte retorted.”  
“Ooh.....witty and pretty,” another young man with wavy blond hair said.  
Charlotte had seen him too, probably visiting his friend in his dormitory.  
“Come on guys.....give it me back....” she tried again  
“Go out with me......” a very fair haired young man said directly to her.  
Charlotte had seen him too, hanging around the dormitory with his friends no doubt.  
“I don’t know you,” she replied. “I prefer to know someone first.....before I date anyone.”  
“That’s the whole idea.....get to know me.”  
“There’s a time and a place and this isn’t it.”  
Charlotte shook her head as they passed her laptop around still ignoring her. She was starting to get annoyed.  
“Guys come on that’s enough!” she snapped.  
“Ooh.....she’s getting stroppy now,” one of them said as they continued.  
Suddenly a figure intercepted from behind and grabbed the laptop out of their hands. He glared at them. “Just leave her alone guys! She’s not interested....if you’re not here to work.....just get out. There are people who do want to study!” he said firmly.  
“Ooh she’s got an armed guard now,” they muttered and stared back at him as they stalked off.  
Charlotte stared at the tall dark haired man who had taken them on, when no one else had offered to help her.  
He walked over to her and passed her the laptop back.  
“Thank you,” she smiled, taking in his dark eyes and he was very good looking. “Thanks so much.”  
“No problem,” he smiled briefly at her.  
Charlotte sat down then with her laptop and looked at her friend, “Well shall we study?”  
Lucy smiled, “Wow he’s not bad looking. I wish someone would come on hand like that when I need them. Every girl needs a hero.”  
Charlotte smiled at her and they got their heads down together.  
***  
Back to present time  
Charlotte and Lucy found a desk and sat down together. Lucy nudged her a few moments later and whispered in her ear.  
“Mr Hero is here,” she nodded in his direction a few tables up.  
Charlotte looked up and saw him sat with a fellow student working together and he seemed to sense she was looking just at that point. He was wearing glasses, she noted, they suited him, Charlotte thought and she smiled at him briefly and he nodded his head and smiled back at her.  
“Well......you lucky girl,” Lucy whispered.  
“Oh good grief.....he was just being friendly,” Charlotte retorted as she concentrated back on her work.

They passed a poster of auditions tomorrow for the upcoming amateur dramatics performance leading up to Valentine’s Day. It was to be Romeo and Juliet.  
“So are you off to do your oh for where art is thou Romeo and all that stuff tomorrow?” Lucy asked her after studying.  
“Yes.....”  
“All the guys will be trying out for it....just to get a pash on with you,” she teased.  
“I don’t think so.....besides that’s you overly thinking I will get the lead. I’m not the only one auditioning.”  
“Oh come on Charlotte.....you love your acting and drama and what not. You will get Juliet easily.”  
Charlotte shook her head dismissively.

A few days later she heard she had got the part of Juliet. The Greatest love story ever told, she said to herself. Lucy was going to love to gloat, she thought to herself. 

Rehearsals started and it was several sessions in when Brian the artistic director, announced that James, who was playing Romeo, had broken his leg in an accident over the weekend and they might have to cancel it, unless they had someone who could step in. It had been aimed at performing in and around Valentine’s Day.....so it seemed it was all out of the window.  
“Hold that thought,” Brian said. “The show may still continue.....I have a young man who would excel at this part....who knows it well. I will speak to him and see if he can spare us some time to rehearse, and let you know as soon as possible. This means the show will be able to go on if I can assist us,” he announced. “Meet here for next rehearsal as planned and we’ll see where we are.”  
They all looked at each other....feeling uncertain.  
The next rehearsal, Brian called them forward. “Can I introduce you to our new leading man.....Sidney,” he called.  
They all looked out across the theatre, where they were rehearsing and Charlotte recognised the young man from the library....Mr Hero, as Lucy called him.  
“Juliet.....meet your Romeo,” Brian said as he joined them on the stage.  
“Hello,” he smiled briefly.  
“Hi.....I’m Charlotte,” she smiled back.  
“It’s good to meet you,” he acknowledged.  
Charlotte soon found out at how well Sidney excelled in playing Romeo. He’d studied it previously and had seen it on stage, and had played the part before in amateur dramatics. He was very supportive and offered to help her learn her lines.  
They spoke to each other briefly at rehearsals while waiting and Charlotte learnt he was in his second year and he was doing a Bachelor of Science Honours English Literature with Psychology. His family lived down South....and it turned out their families lived just a few miles from each other. They talked about their childhoods and Charlotte told him her family ran a dairy farm, but also agricultural farming so it was full on and she worked there in the holidays. She had five siblings, she being the eldest.  
Sidney told her about his family, his eldest brother was into town design and planning, and his younger brother was at school, very into art, and he had an older sister who was living in London working for a fashion house.  
They talked about their studies and what they wanted to do in the future. Charlotte had considered teaching but really wanted to go into archiving and work at a museum. Sidney wanted to go into counselling.  
Charlotte came back from her lectures a few days later to find another envelope under her door.  
This time she opened it and it was a quote from Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice followed by Be My Valentine.  
If you will thank me," he replied, "let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny. But your family owe me nothing. Much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of you."  
She shook her head smiling. “Okay......who are you?”

Charlotte soon found she was looking forward to going to rehearsals. It wasn’t hard to act Juliet with a Romeo like that opposite her she thought.  
He took her by surprise in rehearsals when he kissed her softly in one of the scenes which was written in but she didn’t think they were actually going to do it.  
“I like the kiss......let’s keep it in.....but next time can we make it Juliet’s move.....you kiss Romeo as in the play for this scene?” Brian called out.  
Charlotte looked between Sidney and Brian and nodded. ‘OMG’ she said to herself. ‘I get to kiss Mr Hero at each rehearsal and not once but a few times.’  
Lucy had been teasing her that she was playing Juliet to Mr Hero’s Romeo. If she knew they were doing the kisses then she would never let it go. She was coming to watch the show as well she remembered.  
Another day or so later she came back to a quote from Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre followed by Be My Valentine.  
Because," he said, "I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you — especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous Channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly.  
Charlotte laughed and smiled, adding it to her collection.  
Ben who was playing Mercutio rallied them to go for drinks together after the first show. They all met up at the university student union bar. It was busy in there and they pushed to get through to the bar.  
Charlotte turned to see Sidney was now at her side, while she was waiting to get served. “What are you having?” he asked  
“Oh it’s okay.....I can get it...”  
“It’s the least I can do for my Juliet.....you know,” he winked at her.  
“Okay.....my shout next time then?”  
“Fine,” he nodded.  
“Hmm.....just a juice then please as I’ve got an early lecture in the morning.  
He nodded and ordered their drinks.  
Charlotte smiled at him as he passed her a juice and they found their way to a quieter area. They spent the remainder of the evening talking and mixing with their fellow cast members. 

It was the second night of their show, only one more to go. Lucy had come to see the show with a couple of friends and came around afterwards. She met her afterwards with her friends, who Charlotte knew also, they were all going to be house sharing next year. They’d found a house in the town centre in Newcastle under Lyme. It was just across the road from the supermarket so ideally located and even walkable to university if they wanted.  
Lucy had teased her mercilessly about kissing Mr Hero. They were staying out but Charlotte wanted to get back and work on a project she was doing. She walked back up towards her dormitory building and encountered the three young men, who had taken her laptop.  
“Hello its gorgeous ice princess,” the light brown haired guy called.  
Charlotte rolled her eyes, not now, really she said to herself.  
Charlotte carried on walking.  
“Be my valentine,” called the very light haired guy who was the one who was supposed to fancy her.  
Charlotte stared at him, so it was him who had been sending her the romantic quotes. She shrugged her shoulders.  
“You’re drunk,” Charlotte muttered.  
“Just a wee bit inebriated,” he laughed. “All for the love of you.”  
“Yeah right......you don’t even know me,” she replied.  
“Ahh Kieran you’re wasting your time with this one,” called the blond wavy haired guy. “She’s thinks she’s too good for you.”  
“As if,” Charlotte muttered trying to carry on walking. “I’m not like that.....just......”  
“Go out with me then.....”  
“Let me think about it......”  
“Go out with him.....” the light brown haired guy added.  
“Just leave me alone,” she retorted. “I just want to get back and do some work.”  
“Stuck up little bitch,” the blond wavy haired guy called.  
They crowded round her.  
“Look stop it.....just leave me alone!”  
Charlotte was suddenly scared as the brown haired guy lived in her building. 

“Is there a problem?” Sidney’s voice spoke catching them up from behind.  
“Ahh it’s the armed guard again,” the light brown haired guy called. “How much does he cost or does he just get favours?” he laughed.  
“Leave her alone.....back off now!” he snapped at them.  
“Fine.....she’s not worth it anyway!” spat out the blond wavy haired guy. “Kieran I would forget about her if I were you!”  
Sidney glared at them as they walked off. He turned his attention back to Charlotte.  
“Are you alright?” he said gently.  
“I’m fine.......,” she spoke trying to sound more confident than she felt. “The one guy he lives in my building.”  
He passed her jacket she’d left behind and put it on her.  
“Come on I’ll walk you back.”  
Charlotte was shaking and had tears sting her eyes.  
Sidney glanced at her, and put his arm around her. “You’re safe now.....”  
He stayed with her; they sat in the kitchen drinking tea, until she felt better. He gave her his number if she needed anything. Charlotte made sure she locked her door as she went in there to do her work.  
Tomorrow was the last night of the play. It was Valentine’s Day and very apt with The Greatest love story ever told.  
She was thankful to not bump into the guys again.  
The evening came around soon enough, and they performed their last night. They had a rousing cheer from the crowd. Although she would be glad of the time back again, to complete her work, she had enjoyed it immensely, and in particular spending time with her leading man. Tomorrow they would just go back to their normal lives and she would maybe see him in the library and they would just smile at each other, but she felt there was a connection between them and that wasn’t just because she’d had the pleasure of kissing him several times.  
After chatting to her fellow cast mates she walked back to the dressing rooms to get changed and sat down for a few minutes and suddenly she noticed an envelope on the table in front of her with her name on. ‘Charlotte’ as written in the familiar script. Charlotte opened it and she read the lines, Romeo’s quote to Juliet and Be my valentine underneath.  
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night  
Be My Valentine?  
Charlotte felt her heart beat faster, it was not the guy in her dormitory hall been sending the notes after all. He had put her off track yesterday. It had to be someone with access to here, someone who also had access to her building.  
Charlotte changed out of her Juliet costume and into her ordinary clothes thinking on everything. Suddenly she remembered a conversation with Sidney he had a job at university; he was given access to the buildings. This would have enabled him to get inside her building and put the envelopes under her door. Could it be him she asked herself? Did he like her? How did she find out?  
Charlotte picked up her things and swallowed as she walked out, speaking to the other girls, wishing them good luck.  
She saw him ahead in the hallway talking to some of their fellow cast members.  
Sidney smiled as he saw her coming towards him and as she drew near he pulled his arm from around his back and offered her a red rose.  
“For my Juliet,” he said softly.  
Charlotte smiled.  
“Be my Valentine sweet Juliet,” he said gently.  
“It is you,” she smiled into his eyes. “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite,” she quoted Juliet’s lines.  
“Charlotte,” he said softly.  
“Sidney,” she said tenderly.  
Without another word their lips met each others, softly, and tenderly, no longer pretending to be someone else. Now they were just Charlotte and Sidney.  
They heard cries of “about time” from a few of their cast members.  
They pulled away and smiled at each other.  
“Can we go on a real date tomorrow....belated valentines albeit but we were a bit busy tonight?” he smiled.  
“I would love that,” Charlotte smiled at him.  
“Let’s go somewhere quiet for a drink....somewhere not on campus....where we can talk.”  
Charlotte nodded and walked with him to his car.  
“I had no idea it was you....all this time until tonight,” she murmured as they drove towards Newcastle, the nearest town.  
“Good.....as it would have spoilt the last romantic quote I had for you. I had to save that one for our last performance.”  
“I loved them,” she murmured.  
“I hoped you would.....being an English lit girl and all.”  
They sat talking, gazing at each other and neither wanted to part as closing time came around. 

As Sidney dropped her off outside her building. He walked her to the door. “Will you be alright?”  
“I think so,” she smiled. “I think they got the message....but I have your number if I need Mr Hero to assist,” she smiled.  
“Mr Hero?” he laughed.  
“My friend Lucy’s nickname for you.....when we didn’t know your name,” she smiled at him.  
“I like it......,” he murmured as he lowered his head to softly kiss her again.  
“Until tomorrow Charlotte.....my Juliet.”  
“Until tomorrow Sidney.....my Romeo.”

Charlotte smiled as he walked away and sighed as she closed her dormitory door.  
“Wow.....what an evening,” she smiled as she fell back onto her bed. 

The End


End file.
